Virginia gubernatorial election, 1989

Virginia gubernatorial election, 1989

November 7, 1989

Candidate L. Douglas Wilder J. Marshall Coleman Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 897,139 890,285 Percentage 50.14% 49.75%

Virginia gubernatorial election results map. Blue denotes counties/districts won by Wilder. Red denotes those won by Coleman.

Governor before election Jerry Baliles Democratic Elected Governor L. Douglas Wilder Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Governor Jerry Baliles was unable to seek a second term due to term limits. Democratic nominee and Lieutenant Governor L. Douglas Wilder squared off against former Attorney General of Virginia J. Marshall Coleman in one of the closest elections in Virginia history. Upon taking the oath of office in January 1990, Governor Wilder became the first African-American governor of Virginia, and the first African-American governor of any state since reconstruction more than 100 years earlier.

Republican primary

Candidates

• J. Marshall Coleman, former Attorney General of Virginia, 1981 Republican nominee for Governor
• Paul S. Trible, Jr., former U.S. Senator
• Stanford Parris, U.S. Congressman

Republican primary results[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	J. Marshall Coleman	147,941	36.81
	Republican	Paul S. Trible, Jr.	141,120	35.11
	Republican	Stanford Parris	112,826	28.07
Total votes			401,887	100.00

General election

Results

Virginia gubernatorial election, 1989[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	L. Douglas Wilder	897,139	50.14%	-5.05%
	Republican	J. Marshall Coleman	890,285	49.75%	+4.96%
	Write-ins		1,947	0.11%
Majority			6,854	0.38%	-10.03%
Turnout			1,789,371
	Democratic hold		Swing

References

1. Commonwealth of Virginia. State Board of Elections. "Recapitulation--Republican Primary Election" Official Election Results 1989. Comp. Susan H. Fitz-Hugh. Richmond, Virginia: n.p., 1989. 49. Print.
2. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=51&year=1989&f=0&off=5